Fernandes

[Cal]

First time on these boards (I read it all the time when I'm dodging work, which I am now hehe).

Anyway, about Fernandes' position. I remember going to see the last home game of last season against Pompy when for the 1st half Fernandes was playing in the postion he's been in lately - either behind or along with Carsley. We played rubbish. 2nd half Fernandes was pushed further up and we were a different team - great passing, one twos with Manny and Arteta linking up beautifully. We won the game 3-0. The same thing happened against Arsenal and ManUre last season (we inploded 2nd half of that game though), the more he pushed up, the better he looked.

IMO he's not an attacking midfielder, but what he is is a pure central midfielder who puts people into play, can beat players and open up space for the attacking players to run into. But he can also be a threat going forward and has a wicked shot on him - I feel he can be lethal outside the box, something Carsely is hit and miss at.

He's different to the comparrison to Makalele in that Makalele can tackle, can pass, and has skill and is/was world class at. Fernandes aint strong enough to get stuck in, although he tries. I think Moyes is doing the sqaure peg in a round hole trick he did with Jags earlier in the season. Jags disappeared most of the time he played Defensive Mid but at Center Back he's looking like a rock - he even says its his prefered position, almost hinting the DM position aint for him.

When Moyes realises how to utilise Manny, pushing him up more and just keeping Casrley in and around the half way line (if he keeps playing a defensive mid) you'll get the player we all know he is.

Hopefully Manny will step up big time against Brann on Wednesday, he really needs to and Moyes should let him know that.

Great post mate.

We all know Manny has an abbudance of talent, but he is playing far too deep.

 

[Neiler]

Im with you on this TX i think hes a fantastic player, i think people forget that hes still a young lad, he will suffer mistakes and incosistnecy from time to time, but without doubht he offeres something very different to almost anybody else in the team! His visoin and ability to spot a quick pass and pull it of brilliantly is something to behold!

I think as fans our perception of a centre midfeilder being good or not good is guided by the blood and thunder types we have expeirenced in the last twenty years! Manny is a playmaker and a damn fine one, i personally marvel at his vison and his ability to actually make a play out of nothing, mentaly i feel hes playing chess when everyone around him is playing drafts! He can score too!

To balance this out yeah he can be incosistent, he can make wrong choices but i think that is the error of youth and a lack of consistent coaching. Wait this lad will be one of the best paymakers in the leauge!

 

[monty]

Im with you on this TX i think hes a fantastic player, i think people forget that hes still a young lad, he will suffer mistakes and incosistnecy from time to time, but without doubht he offeres something very different to almost anybody else in the team! His visoin and ability to spot a quick pass and pull it of brilliantly is something to behold!

I think as fans our perception of a centre midfeilder being good or not good is guided by the blood and thunder types we have expeirenced in the last twenty years! Manny is a playmaker and a damn fine one, i personally marvel at his vison and his ability to actually make a play out of nothing, mentaly i feel hes playing chess when everyone around him is playing drafts! He can score too!

To balance this out yeah he can be incosistent, he can make wrong choices but i think that is the error of youth and a lack of consistent coaching. Wait this lad will be one of the best paymakers in the leauge!

I totally agree Neiler

 

[TheDevils2001]

I am hoping he is finally getting closer to full fitness, it would have been nice if it was like last year when he has been playing alot for Portsmouth and came to us fit and ready.

Hope he has been training hard and show us what he is capable of, as we are missing Arteta and Pienaar in our next match.

 

[Neiler]

I totally agree Neiler

i was nearly there and everything!

 

[TX Bill]

Against Reading no one could tell where he was supposed to be playing, not even Moyes hence he was taken off at h/t.

I am one of his critics, I want him to succeed but I am entitled to say if i think he is failing, which he most assuredly is at present.

There is a continual line of excuses being offered for him, he isn't fit, he has police trouble, he is not used to our game so give him time, lets get this straight:

1 If he wasn't fit it was his fault as he had been training all season in Spain. I am certain that David Moyes would never have played him in midfield if he hadn't been assessed as fit by the coaches. I've also seen that he played two games last week, a case of mistaken identity, one was the other Fernandes from citeh. When he was here last year I questioned his stamina then because he disappeared so often, I've seen nothing to quell those fears

2 His trouble in Spain is unlikely to go to court, if it does then it will be his brother who is charged. Why that should have such a drastic effect on him for 90 mins on a football pitch is beyond me. Football should be a release from that type of worry, why should EFC pay the price

3 He is not used to our style of play, ffs he asked to come back here because our style of play was more suited to his game than what he encountered in Spain.

This young man needs to get himself sorted and quickly if there is to be any chance of EFC spending up to or over £10 mil on him, he is just not worth it and has about 15 games in which to do it, less than half a season and of course the Pieman will be back. Just look at Pienaar the enthuisiam, verve and skill he brings to the side for the full ninety minutes, he makes Manny seem like a bad joke.

Put yourself in Moyes shoes, you need a new Carsley, and new RB, a wide player with limited resources, would you buy him, no way based on what we've seen to date.

Just in case anyone may think I believe there is no hope for Fernandes then you are wrong, I believe in the training skills of David Moyes but by jove he has his work cut out with this one.

...well then I'm eagerly awaiting your posts explaining why Cahill and Osman as of late have been non-contributors to the cause. Fact is, it's clear you have an axe to grind with Fernandes. Why? Don't know. Perhaps you were a bit upset at what happened last summer as most of us were. I've gotten over it. Wish you would too.

*TX Bill not holding breath.

 

[TX Bill]

I was talking over the whole season, the other 2 mentioned have contributed heavily to our season wereas MF hasnt contributed anything

Wait what???

Am I reading that correctly?

We're going to compare what Cahill and Osman have done over a WHOLE SEASON to what Fernandes has done in THREE MATCHES?

It simple really. If you must call out Fernandes for being not at his best since he's been on the pitch for us, then you've gotta call out Cahill and to a lesser extent, Osman and Neville for the exact same thing.

 

[HalewoodB]

Wait what???

Am I reading that correctly?

We're going to compare what Cahill and Osman have done over a WHOLE SEASON to what Fernandes has done in THREE MATCHES?

It simple really. If you must call out Fernandes for being not at his best since he's been on the pitch for us, then you've gotta call out Cahill and to a lesser extent, Osman and Neville for the exact same thing.

Cahill can only play well if he is fed well, fact is the midfield arent playing well at the moment therefore Cahill has had nothing to feed off lately. Ossie has been injured and still looks way off the pace, Spud it appears from reports today has also been carrying an injury
Mf has about 15 games to prove he warrants a place, the others have done so on more than 1 occasion this season, he hasnt

 

[TX Bill]

No disagreement that Fernandes has to prove he's worth a transfer fee in the next 15 matches.

But an unfit player isn't really going to prove much of anything in three matches and all of the supporters with unrealistic expectations to begin with will come away disappointed.

I expect that we'll eventually see what he can contribute but I sure didn't expect it in three games.

But you are right. He's got a limited window of opportunity and needs to get to 100% full fitness is Moyes is going to make any kind of realistic assessment of his skill, ability, and desire.

 

[davids]

Think Moyes will make his mind up seeing the whole picture which includes what he sees on the training pitch.I will stick my neck out and say I didn't think Manny did too badly on Sat, wasn't as invoved as much as he should have been but then the whole team was poor.Garth Crookes included Neville in his team of the week so maybe I was watching the wrong match.

 

[zero]

No disagreement that Fernandes has to prove he's worth a transfer fee in the next 15 matches.

But an unfit player isn't really going to prove much of anything in three matches and all of the supporters with unrealistic expectations to begin with will come away disappointed.

I expect that we'll eventually see what he can contribute but I sure didn't expect it in three games.

But you are right. He's got a limited window of opportunity and needs to get to 100% full fitness is Moyes is going to make any kind of realistic assessment of his skill, ability, and desire.

At the prices being banded about I'd expect a little bit more then a lad with a chip on his shoulder who can't pass a ball to a blue shirt.

If he was closer to 5-6 million I'd lay off him but he's supposed to be a potentially record breaking transfer for that I want him to be the best player on the park or atleast equal to Arteta the fact is he isn't at the moment.

 

[chicoazul]

Zero. Nail on head mate.

 

[HalewoodB]

At the prices being banded about I'd expect a little bit more then a lad with a chip on his shoulder who can't pass a ball to a blue shirt.

If he was closer to 5-6 million I'd lay off him but he's supposed to be a potentially record breaking transfer for that I want him to be the best player on the park or atleast equal to Arteta the fact is he isn't at the moment.

There in lies the crux of the matter, am not expecting a world beater but he cant even provide a simple pass at the moment and for someone who will cost anywhere between 8-12m and has a major attitude problem i think Moyes will be taking a major gamble signing him

 

[chicoazul]

Halewood: You were right about Beattie.

Its important you know this.

 

[Welton Toffee]

Can we stop the whole Cahill and Osman thing please?! They have contributed a hell of a lot to our season. Manny has so far contributed bugger all and therefore has to prove himself. Jesus